1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a terminal fitting and to a shield terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Description of the Related Art, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0106917 A1 discloses a terminal fitting with a rectangular tubular main portion and a cantilevered tongue that is formed by making a slit in a side of the main portion. A side of the main portion is bent out to form a stabilizer at the end of the main portion that is to be connected with a wire.
This terminal fitting is inserted into a rectangular cavity that has a guiding groove for receiving the stabilizer when the terminal fitting is oriented properly. However, the stabilizer interferes with the opening edge of the cavity to prevent the terminal fitting from being inserted in an improper orientation.
Terminal fittings generally are packed together and transported from a production site to an assembling site. The terminal fittings typically are connected with ends of wires at the assembly site and are bundled together for transport to the next processing location. The stabilizer of one terminal fitting easily can enter the slit of another terminal fitting during transit, and this contact may inadvertently deform the tongue and the stabilizer.
The invention was developed in view of the above problem, and an object of the invention is to prevent inadvertent deformations of a tongue or a stabilizer due to the engagement of the stabilizer of one terminal fitting in a slit of another terminal fitting.